I am looking for some starting .338 loads using 225 grain bullets

Hi 22 WRF
What type of 338 are you referring to?
338 Win.
338 Wby.
338 Lapua
ETC.?

22wrf The 338 win is really an easy calibre to load for. IMR 4350 has aways worked well for me. Any of the other 4350's would work well as well. Some 338's have a long throat and will handle loads that may be excessive in a short throated rifle. Check a couple loading manuals and I think you will find a starting load of about 68 grs of IMR 4350 behind a 225 gr bullet is a safe place to start. Instead of trying to wring out every last fps find the load that shoots the best group. In several of the 338 rifles I have experience with 71 or 72 grs were very accurate. RL19 is another good powder choice. Hope that helps.

Yes, I am looking for .338 WM

Snowman, I took your advice and went over to a neighbor to look at one of his old manuals. Cant find a load that hot in IMR 4350. Most I could find was 70 grains for about 2800 FPS. But I have read on here many times guys saying that they are getting 3000 FPS with their .338s.
Maybe they are stretching things a bit?

quote:

But I have read on here many times guys saying that they are getting 3000 FPS with their .338s.
Maybe they are stretching things a bit?

You can probably get 3000 fps from the 210 gr. bullets but it would be over max. for the 225's.

I worked up to 2925 fps w/75.5 gr. RL19 behind the 210 NP &/no signs of pressure in my rifle. Max. listed in Nos. 5th edition is 76 gr for 3020 fps.

My rifle shoots 5/8" 100 yd groups w/75.5 gr. & 210 NP so did not see the need to push it any farther. Load works great on game as is.

Nosler lists starting load of 69.0 gr. RL19 as most accurate load tested with the 200/210 gr. bullets (2860fps).

Regards,
hm

HM

Thanks for that information. I would probably use the 210s (for elk) but I have a box of 225s that I might just as well use so I will have to settle for a bit less velocity and a little more ooomph!

Normally try 4350, RL19 and RL22,maybe H4831 for the .338. I would try 4350 and RL19 loads first. I also like the 210's and 75 RL19 for a bit over 2900 fps, maybe because it shoots a lot of 3/4 in 200 yard groups.

22WRF The loading manual I was quoting from was a Hornady manual. I have a couple of them and they list a max load of 72 grs of IMR 4350 with their 225 gr bullet. I also mentioned there may be a wide variation in throats on some 338 s. A rifle with a long throat may handle a max load a couple grs above what a short throat rifle will. When starting with any new components ALWAYS start low and work up a grain at a time and watch for signs of excessive pressure. I would be looking for the load that shoots the tightest groups not necesarily the load that provides the highest velocity. Hope that helps.

I've had good luck with H4831SC and 225 Gr. Nosler Partitions. It helps that this powder also works in my .270 win and I'll be trying it shortly in a 416 Rigby. It's nice to keep the number of different powders to a minimum. Check out the hodgdon site for recommended max. powder charges.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

H4831 does will with both 225 Nosler Partitions and 225 grain Nosler Accubonds in my gun. I won't mention a weight of powder, because that is particular to every gun. The optimum velocity you can achieve will also vary from gun to gun, by mine with a 24" barrel will do 2910-2940 fps with these bullets propelled by H4831 with sustainable pressures.

My experience with 225 gr bullets (Woodleigh Weldcore, TSX, Hornady Interbond, and Hornady Interlock) have yielded the following.

H4350
H414
RL 19

In that order. Of course, that's MY rifle, yours will likely be different. But that gives you a starting point.

I use 210 Partitions with 72 grains of IMR 4350. Out of my A-Bolt, I get 3050 fps and .75 MOA. That load kills like the Hammer of Thor, really no need for 225s.

I hate to say it in present company but…

I use the 200 Gr load for IMR 4350 for 2900Ft/Sec right out of the Nosler manual…
It produces Sub MOA to .5 MOA for me (most days). It was also the first one I tried.

I understand so many of us spend so much time working up loads so I’m knida embarrassed

I am going to settle on 67 grains of IMR 4350 for the Nos 225 partition. On a friends chrono I get about 2600 FPS, which is a nice mild easy shooting load that should take care of any elk out to 300 yards, which is all the farther I will shoot.

Loaded 225IBs with 73grs. RE19, WLR primers, Win. brass in a friends Nikko Golden Eagle. He brought the target in to work, I was quite impressed by how the 2 test shots were touching, 74 & 75grs opened up a bit more, but no more than an inch. Something to check out if it was me.